Chair dolly



F. E. BEACH CHAIR DOLLY Nov. 22, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 5, 1957 Ffigp- BEACH INVENTOR BY ad/KIM ATTORNEY F. E. BEACH CHAIR DOLLY Nov. 22, 196-0 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 5, 1957 INVENTOR ATTORNEY F. E. BEACH Nov. 22, 1960 CHAIR DOLLY 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 5, 1957 INVENTOR F250 5 5471c BY M JFK j m ATTORNEY F. E. BEACH Nov. 196-0 CHAIRDOLLY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 5, 1957 I INVENTOR FRED-E BEQCH BY ad 4 ATTORNEY Unite CIMIR DOLLY Frederick E. Beach, 2655 NE. 9th St., Pompano Beach, Fla.

The invention relates to a chair dolly and particularly to a dolly for use with folding chairs.

The problem of moving non-ambulatory patients about a hospital, sanatorium, institution or private home, has been generally met by the use of the wheel chair. However, as the conventional wheel chair is of special design and is of rather complicated construction the wheel chair is expensive. Thus, the number of wheel chairs an institution or home can afford is limited and often inadequate. An acute situation arises when a sanitarium or large institution desires to move many patients at one time, as to attend a lecture or motion picture. To have the number of wheel chairs available necessary to accomplish such a mass movement would be prohibitive costwise and impractical. The invention contemplates the construction of a low cost dolly mounted upon casters or other anti-friction devices which is easily attached to a conventional folding chair thereby converting folding chairs into convenient means for moving patients from one place to another.

It is thus an object of the invention to produce a low cost dolly which may be used with a conventional folding chair permitting a non-ambulatory patient to be easily moved with safety and little effort.

Another object of the invention is to design a chair dolly which is used with a folding chair and cooperates with the locked unfolded chair to form a substantially integral and low gravity centered unit.

A further object of the invention is to construct a chair dolly onto which a conventional folding chair may be readily positioned and automatically locked to the dolly by opening the chair.

Yet another object of the invention is to produce a dolly for a folding chair which is universally adjustable and may be easily adapted to fit various size chairs.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent when viewed with regard to the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 illustrates a chair dolly embodying the principles of the invention as assembled with a folding chair,

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional elevation of the invention taken along the lines IIII of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an adjustable embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 4 is a cross-section elevational view of the invention taken along the line IVIV of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a cross-section elevational view of another embodiment of locking means which may be used with the invention,

Fig. 6 illustrates yet another embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 6A is an elevational view of the embodiment of Fig. 6.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate an auxiliary clamping device which may be used with the chair dolly of the invention,

States Patent 0 ice 2 v Fig. 8A is a top View of the clamping device shown in Fig. 8, 1

Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate another embodiment of tli'e invention which enables the patients feet to reach the floor for self-propulsion purposes, and

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a chair with handles attached aiding in maneuvering the chair dolly over curbs, thresholds, or the like.

As seen in Fig. 1 the chair dolly 10 of the invention may take a substantially rectangular form in which a conventional folding chair 12 is supported. The dolly 10 consists of four caster supports 14 which form the corners of dolly 10 and are held in the proper spacial relationship by ribs 16. As will be noted the-ribs 16 are riveted to supports 14. However, any fastening means may be used. 1

The supports 14 are formed with sides 18 which lie in vertical planes, at right angles to each other intersecting at the cylindrical housing 20. A web 22 is formed integral with sides 18 connecting the lower edges thereof whereby each support defines a three sided pocket bounded by sides 18 and web 22. The housings 20 are formed with a recess in the lower end whereby the stem of a caster 24 may be inserted and is rotatably supported. Casters 24 are all of the swivel type permitting 360 rotation enabling the dolly to be easily pushed in any direction.

Two pairs of locking yokes are used to hold the chair 12 to the dolly 10. Yokes 26 are fastened to a pair of supports 14 at the upper edge of sides 18 so as to be placed on the same side of dolly 10 in parallel relation. The openings 28 of yokes 26 face inwardly and are of a size sufiicient to accommodate the front legs 30 of chair 12. The rear yokes 32 are fastened to the other supports 14 in opposing relation to the front yokes 26, the openings 34 face inwardly and receive the rear legs 36 of chair 12.

As will be noted in Fig. 2, the legs 30 and 36 are provided with protective tips '38 and 40, respectively, which are resilient providing a non-skid footing for chair 12. The tips 38 and 40 are assembled to most conventional folding chairs now being manufactured and are usually cemented or otherwise firmly atfixed to the chair legs. The tips 38 and 40 slide under yokes 26 and 32 while the spacing between openings 28 and 34 is such that the chair legs 30 and 36 snugly fit within the openings when the chair 12 is fully unfolded. The front and rear legs of the conventional folding chair diverge as the legs extend downwardly and it is this construction which provides the rigid locking of the chair 12 to the dolly 10.

Thus, the rear legs 36 may be placed on the webs of the rear supports 14 in front of the openings 34 of yokes 32, the chair 12 is then unfolded causing legs 30 to approach yokes 26, continued opening of the chair will slide the tips 38 under yokes 26 and the legs 30 into the openings 28, as the legs 30 are restrained against further movement by opening 28 and side 18 the rear legs 36 will move back into yokes 32 during the final movements of opening chair 12. The legs 30 and 36 will appear as in Fig. 2 when the chair is fully opened. Since the chair legs diverge and fit snugly within'openings 28 and 34 a tongue and groove effect is achieved preventing the chair 12 from being removed from the dolly as long as the chair is locked in the open or unfolded position. Additional locking is provided by the tips 38 and 40 which would engage the lower side of yokes 26 and 32 if it is attempted to lift the chair'from the dolly 10. It will be appreciated that the patients weight in the chair seat will insure the chair remaining locked in the open or unfolded position. Thus, there is no danger of the chair being lifted from the dolly while the patient is being pushed.

The weight of the chair 12 and patient will be supported by webs 22 and the tips 38 and 40 as though the chair were placed on a level floor, thus, no abnormal strains or stresses are imposed on the chair. Preferably, a footrest 42 is pivotally fixed to the front rib 16, as shown, as a convenience for the patient.

A modification of the invention is shown in Fig. 3 which may be easily adapted to fit all sizes of folding chairs. Elements similar to those of Fig. 1 are designated with the same numerals and it is observed the modification utilizes the same supports 14, sides 18, webs 22 and casters 24. Adjustability is achieved by the use of a pair of overlapping ribs 44 and 46 afiixed to the supports 14. The rib 44 is provided with a longitudinal slot 48 formed in rib 44 while rib 46 is formed with a slot 49. The ribs 44 and 46 are frictionally held together by knob 50 and U-shaped sectioned bracket 56. A threaded stud 52 extending from bracket 56 passes through the slots 48 and 49 and the knob 50 is threaded thereon and may be tightened to bear against rib 46 maintaining relative adjustment of the ribs. The legs of bracket 56 overlap ribs 44 and 46 preventing the ribs from jack-knifing. Thus, the ribs 44 and 46 may be longitudinally adjusted the length of slots 48 and 49. As the above adjusting means are provided on each of the ribs connecting the supports 14, the dolly of Fig. 3 may be regulated to fit all sizes of folding chairs.

A modification of the means for gripping the legs of the folding chair is shown in Fig. 5. Instead of using a yoke, one of the sides of the support 14' are formed at an acute angle with the web 22'. The angle of side 18' is preferably equal to that of the supported chair leg whereby the opened chair will firmly engage the tips 38' and 40 to the sides 18 preventing the chair from being disengaged from the dolly. The modification of Fig. may be best utilized with folding chairs having a large included angle between the front and rear legs.

Another variation of chair dolly is shown in Fig. 6 which permits the chair to have a lower center of gravity than the prior embodiments. The dolly of Fig. 6 consists of a rectangular base which may be formed of angle iron and comprises vertical sides 58 and horizontal members 60 extending inwardly from the lower edges of the sides 58. Yokes 62 are affixed to the sides 58 and project inwardly adapted to receive the legs of a folding chair as described of the embodiment of Fig. 1. The casters 64 are of the self-steering swivel type and are mounted on brackets 66 projecting up and away from the sides 58. The webs 68 reinforce the brackets. A foot rest 70 may be hinged to the brackets 66 at 72 for the comfort of the chair occupant and swing out of the way for storing of the dolly. It will be apparent that this embodiment provides the minimum height of dolly and chair, increasing safety and mobility and also incorporates the novel interlocking structure between chair and dolly.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a hold down clamp which may be used to hold folding chairs to the dolly of the invention wherein the construction of the chair does not permit a close interfitting between the chair legs and yokes. As seen in Fig. 7, the clamp 74 may be affixed to the side 58 by screws or bolts 76. The adjustable hook element 78 is adapted to slip over a cross bow 80 of the chair legs 82 and the use of slots 84 and 86, formed in clamp 74 and hook 78, respectively, together with the bolt 88 and wing nut 90 permit the clamp to hold the chair leg tips 92 firmly in contact with the horizontal elements 60. It will be understood that the clamps 74 are positioned adjacent the yokes 62 and may be used with any of the above described embodiments of chair dollies.

Figs. 9 and disclose another embodiment of the invention particularly adapted to permit the chair occupant topropel the chair and dolly about through contact of the patients feet with the floor. Preferably the dolly of this type is underslung in the fashion shown in Fig. 6 and consists of chair supporting angle ribs 94 mounting yokes 96 carried by the casters 98. In order to provide suffi' cient clearance for the patients feet the end rib member 100 is located intermediate the front and rear yokes 96, the front casters are mounted on the brackets 102 which are fastened to the ribs 94 and reinforced by metal straps 104, the rear brackets 106 are afiixed directly to the end rib member and support the rear casters. The front casters are shielded by arcuate guards 108 mounted on the inside of brackets 102 preventing injury or entanglement of the chair occupants feet with the casters. A foot rest 110, pivotally mounted to a bracket 102 at 112, may be swung into the position as shown in solid lines of Fig. 9 for support of the patients feet or may be pivoted to the dotted line position when the patient desires to push the chair and dolly about with his feet.

When the dolly is to be used to transport non-ambulatory patients over thresholds, curbs and other raised obstructions, tilting of the chair and dolly may be easily facilitated by the attachment of handles 114 to the chair, as in Fig. 11, by the use of bolts, screws, wing nuts, or other conventional fastening means.

The dolly of Figs. 6, 9 and 10 may, of course, be provided with adjustable means, as in Fig. 3, to permit use of the dolly with any size of folding chair.

It will, therefore, be understood that the invention discloses a low cost means for converting a conventional folding chair into a wheel chair, making available to hospitals, sanitarlums, homes, etc. an economical source of patient transporting chairs. The dolly, as shown in Fig. 1, may be manufactured in any size to fit a particular size or make of folding chair or may be adjustable as dolly of Fig. 3, adaptable to fit different size of chairs, thus, folding chairs already on hand may be used with the dollies. It will be appreciated that various types of yokes or overlapping means may be used to hold the chair legs in the dolly other than the two constructions shown without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.

In use, the dolly-chair combination herein disclosed may readily pass through narrow doors. Four, and in some cases even more, patients may be placed upon an average size elevator at one time. When aligned, an attendant may push two or even three patients at a time from one place to another.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is novel and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A chair dolly for use with a folding chair having diverging front and rear leg members comprising a rec tangular frame member consisting of four caster sup ported chair leg supporting portions, each of said leg supporting portions including vertically disposed side portions and a horizontal portion upon which the chair legs are supported, a caster afiixed adjacent to each of said leg supporting portions for the support of said frame member, a pair of front chair leg engaging members mounted on the side portions of two adjacent leg supporting portions on a common side of said frame member, a pair of rear leg engaging members affixed to the side portions of the other two leg supporting portions on a common side of said frame member opposite to said first mentioned common side, said leg engaging members including portions extending over and vertically spaced above the horizontal portion of the associated leg supporting portion overlying a diverging portion of the chair leg supported upon the horizontal portion whereby said leg engaging means maintains the chair legs in supported position on the horizontal portion and locks the unfolded chair to the dolly, said side portions on which said leg engaging members are mounted engaging the chair legs upon unfolding of the chair.

2. In a chair dolly as in claim 1, wherein the portion of said leg engaging means extending over the horizontal portion comprises a yoke portion parallel to said horizontal portion, an opening defined in said yoke portion intersecting the inner edge thereof receiving the chair leg and finger-like projections formed on said yoke portion adjacent said opening and extending at right angles to said side portions on which said leg engaging means are mounted adapted to engage opposite sides of the chair leg.

3. In a chair dolly as in claim 1 wherein a pair of perpendicularly disposed rib elements are afiixed to said leg supporting portions and a longitudinal slot is defined in each of the ribs, means locking the ribs of adjacent leg supporting portions in contiguous relation comprising a bracket of U cross section adapted to engage one of the ribs on one side thereof and overlap the edges of a pair of ribs whereby the slots thereof are aligned and relative transverse rib displacement is prevented, a threaded stud extending through said bracket and the slots of ribs therein and nut means engaging said stud adapted to bear on the rib removed from said bracket whereby tightening of said nut frictionally maintains said ribs within said bracket,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

